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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25053262">Shinra's legacy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcaLum/pseuds/ArcaLum'>ArcaLum</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Shinra Company, Shinra Electric Power Company Science Department, Soldiers, Undercover Missions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 11:09:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,717</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25053262</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcaLum/pseuds/ArcaLum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An undercover mission with Tifa and Cloud. Mixed feelings. This may contain spoiler if you haven't played to FFVIIRemake.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife, Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Shinra's legacy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a fair night in the slums,the sky could be seen by a tiny corner under the pillar. Tifa founded the place relaxing. She was waiting for Cloud at the checkpoint. Probably a dangerous mission again but she became used to it. The place reminded her one of the discussion they had when they were younger. The brunette also thought they did a nice road along since that time. So many things had change. She was really worried about what the Shinra Company was planning for the slums. At that time she was only worried that Cloud came out of the village to become a soldier She knew it would be hard for him, to forget what happened..To live with it. From time to time she was asking but she wasn’t necessarily waiting for a full answer from him. She knew few things needed time and it was one of them. She was really surprised to see all the efforts the ex-SOLDIER was doing, it wasn’t common for him to...Well take care, he was really good at protecting people but...Discussing and interacting with them was not his cup of tea ! She was really happy to meet Aerith, she looked so soft and dynamic, different from her she already had the feeling she could trust her. She was strong and fierce.</p><p>She felt guilty about what happened to her when she asked her for help...With Marlene.<br/>
She seemed so innocent, full of joy and...She gave her a great first thought, she just wanted to leave...When she heard about her story, she couldn’t help to want to protect her. She’s probably sure Cloud felt the same. After being her bodyguard of course.<br/>
They were something stronger than this. It was as if the florist gathered them...Thinking of this it was the case ! She reminded the flower which was at the bar meaning “reunion”...Tifa actually thought they were some kind of mystery around her.</p><p>“I can’t believe they did this…”She was so disturbed...She knew the Shinra Company was crap…<br/>
“Hm, yeah. That’s the real face of the Shinra.” And also one of the reasons I left the blond guy thought.<br/>
She actually always have hoped, even when the situation was desperate...She was thinking of all the missions they did and how things could been changed. She didn’t want it to be a battlefield even if she knew they had to do something. She also knew Cloud wasn't the same guy since he became a soldier. His look...His stance…<br/>
“Is there something on my face ?” he asked raising an eyebrow.<br/>
She laughed. “No...Not at all...I was just thinking about how things changed and what we could have done to…”<br/>
“Have a better future ?” he completed her sentence just by looking at her and her attitude. Even if they grow up he could see some similarities in her way of being. She clearly became stronger. She had too.<br/>
“I’m here” he added. He was also surprised, Tifa opened her eyes widely then smiled.<br/>
“You better be! There’s no way I’m let you leaving me again now !”<br/>
It wasn’t the better place to talk about this but she needed to. They needed to. Cloud seemed to be a little bit more talkative than usual. He seemed he had something more to reveal. She didn’t want to be rough with him. He made so much progress since they’re last meeting.<br/>
He was almost another man since they last met. She was enjoy every step of their rediscovery.<br/>
“Something on your mind ?”he asked, they were walking slowly but surely. The place was dark and she didn’t feel reassure. She didn’t want to be seen defenceless too so she said nothing about it.<br/>
“No...We should be close to the checkpoint from now.” She smiled to him. He wasn’t the only able to protect her, she could protect him too, in her way.<br/>
“You looked stressed.” Cloud perfectly knew that she wasn’t keen of the way of doing of Avalanche but it wasn’t only a story of fighting a huge holding which oppressed their people. If they continued in this way...They would destroy the planet and the people on it. She lost so many thing…She couldn’t afford to lose more.<br/>
It was probably one of the reasons Cloud grow up faster than she thought. He was a young man and ...Became a man but ...He seemed so lost. She heard few things about that time when he was at the Shinra Company...About the war. But each time he began to tell her stories he got some kind of weird headaches. He never told them what he was dreaming of but it was probably more like nightmares. He seemed to suffer. A lot and to be disturbed.<br/>
“Tifa ! Be careful !” Soldiers were in the corner of the room. She came back close to him.<br/>
“Sorry” he nodded and stayed focus. The more they came closer to the point the more it became dangerous.</p><p>They explored the place. It was a little bit darker than were they were before. They were soldiers protecting the area. Tifa wasn't afraid at the moment. They came closer to the reactor...And it looked like some kind of laboratory.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Shinra's legacy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tifa didn’t look secure but she didn’t want to show it to Cloud. Years have passed and she wasn’t the little girl who was crying when her friend left. Life wasn’t easy when he went to the army but she always wanted to see the best part of it. She became someone really helpful who can protect the people living in the slum. She also discovered great people while she was also training to become stronger... Even if it was hard sometimes. When she was watching the news she was really worried that Cloud  would probably die during a war or even worse. It didn’t really come in her mind often because she thought of the promise he did to her. Thinking of this made her smile : sooner or later they’ll see each other, she’ll just have to wait for it. She had to be optimistic for her and also for all the people who count on her. It was also because of them that she became the woman she was here and now. But the priority was not her now nor Cloud. It was the flower seller, her new friend and also Cloud’s one.</p><p>“Let’s go !”she whispered. She felt some excitation coming closer to Aerith. The brawler almost forgot the place became creepier. There were some experiments and Cloud came closer to her. In order to protect and be able to react if they were a threat. “That’s Shinra’s real face”. They remain silent while crossing this part of the laboratory. Some of them were hard to describe. Hopefully the place was darker than she thought and she’s not sure she really wanted to see what was hiding inside this. Tifa didn’t think they did so many experiments. She knew they were doing strange things, they never really communicated on it,only on reactors and how could it be great even for people living in the slums. She didn’t want to let Aerith down. The young woman lived so much stuff because of what she is. She seemed she wanted to live as all the women of her age that’s all Tifa wished her for. She was courageous and the brunette admired her for this. She looked defenceless at first but she wasn’t at all. Leaving these days you had to be strong !</p><p>Cloud realized she was far away from the child he knew. She was already strong but she seemed even more now.<br/>
"We should go right here, I never came here but it looked like the laboratory we came for check-up."<br/>
Tifa nodded quietly. The place became darker and they heard some noises. She gripped the soldier's arm. He walked carefully and pulled a door. Some experiments were knocking on the glass. Tifa pressed his arm which provoked a little gasp of surprise from the blond haired man. More or them were doing the same until they completely destroyed it.<br/>
"There is more and more of them watch out!" Cloud already had his fighting stance when the first experiment began to move. He gave a glance at Tifa and they nodded at the same time. If they wanted to remain unseen they’ll have to do really little damage. Which seemed hard to do because the room wasn’t so large and the experiments were probably doing one or twice of their sizes.</p><p>She was already dashing on one of them. It was actually surprising to see someone as tiny as her being so fast and powerful. She gave kicks and punches with all her strength. But it still looked like a dance. It wasn't meant in a graceful way but it was done with harmony. All the energy she kept was completely rejected by the enemies. It was well balanced and she always kept an eye around her. It was also difficult to see if she was still afraid only one thing stayed in her mind : "save Aerith''. It was probably those kinds of thoughts that kept Cloud alive.<br/>
Cloud came closer but took care of not bothering her. He was slashing enemies and didn't seemed to have any emotion in mind. It was as  if he was at work. Probably the hostile place and some kind of memories which came back.</p><p>“You’re doing great Cloud!” she finally said when they were less of them.<br/>
“Well you too it’s almost as if you don’t need me here !” he smiled and it seemed to reassure Tifa. It wasn’t the first time she realized he had some moment when he wasn’t here anymore… Sometimes he had some kind of headaches and he forgot things. Or maybe they come back bit by bit.The few experiments that remained went back and it felt silent. They were going slowly but surely in the place. At the end of the corridor they’ve seen a door. It was the only place which got enlightenment there.<br/>
“I’ve heard some noises out there !”Tifa whispered.<br/>
They pushed the door and saw Aerith in a large and white room.</p>
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